


My Favorite Year

by autumngoodbye



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Ice Cream, Light Angst, M/M, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:02:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28457262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumngoodbye/pseuds/autumngoodbye
Summary: As New Year's Eve wraps up, Drake reflects on everything he's endured this year and the new family who got him through it. A little angsty and super fluffy. DT17 compliant.
Relationships: Drake Mallard & Gosalyn Mallard & Launchpad McQuack, Drake Mallard/Launchpad McQuack
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50





	My Favorite Year

Everything’s been cleaned up. Okay, almost everything. They didn’t sweep up the confetti. But they’ve torn down the streamers, let the air out of the balloons, and washed the plastic champagne glasses. It’s not the most festive thing in the world, but Drake doesn’t want to start his new year waking up to a house that’s a total mess.

Drake’s always been really into New Years. He likes new beginnings. They’re something he’s always searched for, constantly hoping to happen upon the next door or window that fate had opened for him.

Except this year. For the first time, Drake didn’t really want the year to end. It did, though, at midnight just like every year. Launchpad had Gosalyn on his shoulders and they all threw confetti as the ball dropped on TV. Launchpad leaned down to kiss Drake and Gosalyn pretended to throw up. Drake let her have a tiny sip of his champagne and she almost threw up for real.

She’s in bed now, exempt from cleaning duties since it’s already past her bedtime. Now that everything’s done, Drake and Launchpad make their way up the stairs slowly, exhausted as hell, and flop onto their bed without changing into their pajamas. Drake thought he’d fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow but, as usual, once he’s lying down in the dark he’s wide awake.

He curls up against Launchpad’s side, taking in his warmth. Launchpad is the lucky type of person who falls asleep, snoring and all, right away. He’s not snoring yet, though, so Drake whispers his name.

“Buh?” Launchpad wipes his eyes. Instinctually, his arm finds his way around Drake’s waist.

Drake lets himself melt. He wasn’t good with affection at first; it wasn’t something he was familiar with. But you get used to it pretty quick when you hang out with Launchpad. He was always clapping a hand to Drake’s shoulder or picking him up into giant hugs even before they were dating. It took a little while, but Drake now finds himself _very_ used to it.

“It’s okay,” Drake says. “You can sleep.”

“No, I can tell. You have something you need to say.”

There’s so much he needs to say. He doesn’t even know where to start.

“I guess, you know, I thought this year was gonna be the one where everything happened for me. My first starring role, my first red carpet, seeing my face on promo material everywhere I turned… but none of that happened.”

“I guess not,” Launchpad says. He shifts so he can look at Drake, his eyes big and shiny. “I’m sorry.”

Drake’s face goes hot. He didn’t want to make Launchpad feel bad. This is about the opposite of feeling bad. “No, no! Don’t be sorry! I wasn’t finished! None of that happened, but everything that did was so much better. Well, most of it.”

Drake still has nightmares. Your lifelong idol raising a chainsaw above his head to slice you open isn’t something you get over after a few days. Drake could’ve died. Launchpad could’ve died. And Jim…

It’s complicated. Yes, he had tried to murder Drake, but he was also the person Drake had looked up to most. The person he’d always tried to be. He’d loved Jim Starling. He doesn’t see him in the same light anymore, of course. Obviously, he’s no longer Drake’s role model. Drake still mourns him, though.

He mourns Jim Starling the man and Jim Starling, his idol. 

He knows Launchpad feels the same way. He loved the original Darkwing Duck as much as Drake did. They talked about it a lot, usually after Drake wakes up shaking and covered in sweat after seeing Jim’s strange, swirling green eyes in his dreams again.

Drake doesn’t know what he’d do without Launchpad to hold him, to cry with him, to understand what he’s lost. He would have lost faith in people entirely, he thought, if it weren’t for Launchpad.

Launchpad restored his faith in everything.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Drake says, blinking back tears. “Despite everything, you have made this my favourite year.”

“Me too,” Launchpad says, his hand drawing circles on Drake’s back. “I mean, you too. I mean, this has been my favourite year so far too, because of you.”

Drake smiles, and as his eyes crinkle the tears roll down his cheeks. He wipes his eyes and he laughs. “And now -- and now I work as an actual superhero? With a kid sidekick? Launchpad, I have a kid in my life! I did not see that happening, ever.”

“What, you don’t want kids?”

“I didn’t think I did. Or, to be more precise, I didn’t think I’d meet someone I’d want to have kids with, because, I don’t know, I was scared. My parents sucked, so why wouldn’t I, right? And what if I had kids with the wrong person and we screwed it up, or--”

“Drake, I am going to tell you something no one has ever told me.” Launchpad says this incredibly seriously, his voice even deeper than usual, with a rare gravitas. “You think too much.”

They crack up together, big full-body laughs that fade into a happy, comfortable silence. Drake’s head rests on Launchpad’s chest, his heart beating in Drake’s ear. 

“I love her, Launchpad,” Drake says, so quiet he can barely hear himself. “I don’t want to lose her. I know it’s selfish but--”

“I know,” Launchpad sighs. “She’s the best. Dewey says she’s poggers, whatever that means.”

“Gosalyn says that too. I think it’s a good thing.”

“She’s a good thing. And between you and me, I don’t think you’re gonna lose her. I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”

“I want her to find her grandpa, I do, but--”

“It’s okay. No more buts. No buts, no cuts, no coconuts. Is that how it goes?”

“I have no idea.”

They laugh again, quieter this time. It feels like there are bubbles in the air, tiny champagne bubbles too precious to pop. Drake wants to be this happy always. He doesn’t think it will last because nothing ever does for him, but he’ll hold onto it as long as he can. He sighs into Launchpad’s chest, closes his eyes, and --

Is flung into the air. Gosalyn jumped onto the bed so hard he actually flew for a second there. She and Launchpad laugh at him, and he laughs too, he keeps laughing. He’s so happy.

“I can’t sleep,” Gosalyn says, sitting cross-legged and bouncing slightly. “Maybe I had too much chocolate, or soda, or maybe I’m just too excited. I don’t know. Can we do something?”

“Do something?” Drake asks. “It’s almost two in the morning.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m not asking to go to the carnival for a corn dog. I just meant watch TV or something.”

“I could go for a corn dog,” Launchpad says.

“We can watch TV,” Drake says, “but only something educational that’ll help you fall asleep. I wonder what’s on the History Channel--”

“Boo!” Gosalyn jeers, but she’s smiling. She has a few pieces of confetti trapped in her curly hair. It’s all frizzy from her rolling around in bed, trying to sleep. He’d checked on her a few nights before going to bed himself and noticed that she was a restless sleeper. They had that in common. Launchpad, unsurprisingly, slept like a brick.

“Do we have corn dogs?” Launchpad asks.

“I don’t think so,” Gosalyn says, hoisting herself off the bed. “I think we still have some ice cream left, though!”

Launchpad jumps up too. “And we can put the ice cream on waffles!”

Drake shakes his head, but he’s smiling. He loves them so much. He gets out of bed and follows a few steps behind them, taking in everything he can. The spring in Gosalyn’s step and her mismatched socks; the way her hair bounces as she walks. Launchpad’s easy stride, slowed down so her little legs can keep up; his muscles straining against his tee-shirt sleeves. Gosalyn’s laugh, that little cackle that would be obnoxious if she weren’t so cute, and Launchpad’s low rumbling one. Their smiles.

Drake’s not looking for a new beginning this time. All he needs is more of this. Gosalyn heads to the TV and Launchpad heads for the freezer and Drake knows already that this is going to be his new favourite year.

**Author's Note:**

> ducktales and the friends i've met through it honestly got me through this year, so this one's for you!
> 
> happy 2021! i hope it's poggers :)


End file.
